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MAC eyeshadows are one of those products that I go through phases using, as with any palette, one minute I'm obsessed and the next it's collecting dust. As indicated by this post, right now, I'm loving my little MAC quad and I find it perfect for everyday. I'm currently working on the palette which holds 15 shadows, but that is a long time in the works, so maybe I'll share that with you in three years once it's complete...I would highly recommend these palettes if you love a good shadow selection, and the fact you can choose the shades yourself means you know none of them will be going to waste. The quad costs £5 and the l5 slot one costs £2.50, I'm not sure of the logic of that pricing, but moving on. You can buy the eyeshadows for £13 and depot them, or you can go for the £10 option and have them ready to put straight into the palette. At £10 a pop, it doesn't seem super pricey, but it's definitely not something you're going to want to complete in one trip, especially for the larger palette.

I wanted a nice mix of shadows which I could use on their own, or together, and I love the ones I have. On the top left I have 'Vanilla' which is a velvet finish. I love this shade as a highlight as it's the perfect creamy bone shade and the finish isn't really shimmery so it's perfect under the brow bone. For me, this is the perfect base, or highlight shade that I've found from MAC. To the left of this we have one of my favourites, as you may be able to see as I've hit pan. This is 'All That Glitters' which is a veluxe pearl. This is a beautiful shimmery peachy champagne which looks so nice on the lids and the inner corner. This is the fist MAC eyeshadow I purchased and it's such a cult in their range. For a darker crease shade I have 'Sable' which is a frost, meaning it's packed with shimmer. I don't find this one too glittery as such, it just adds a nice amount of shimmer to the eyes, and paired with 'All That Glitters' it makes for a really nice summery eye. It's a chocolate brown shade, with some lighter bronze shimmer running throughout. If I want a more Olsen type look, this all over the lid and smudged under the lower lash line looks fab. I think I may switch this up for a matte brown shade though, so let me know of any you love. Lastly, I have 'Carbon' which is a matte black and it's perfect for setting liner or using on the upper lash line for a some soft definition. I went through a phase of not using this, but since I've been setting my liner again I notice such a difference in the way it lasts on my eyes. I also love to use this as a liner as it creates a really soft, everyday look.

Today I'm coming to you with another budget buys, a post where I rattle on about a few inexpensive products I highly recommend you go and and try. I have mix of beauty toady as these five products are ones I've really been loving lately.

Starting with skin I've been getting back into my LUSH Mask Of Magnanimity which is a super cooling clarifying mask. After making my way through all the chocolate I accumulated over the holidays, I found my skin was definitely hating me for it. I went through my collection of masks and picked this out and I'm so happy I did. It's a green mask which is also exfoliating, making it great for a fresh start. LUSH masks in general are fab, but if you're having a bad skin day or maybe you suffer with acne this one is great.

As for body, I'm trying to get it prepared for Spring early, so when that semi-warm day comes (eventually) my limbs don't blind people with their whiteness! I also retreat to my Dove Summer Glow which I use every other day to give my arms and legs a healthy glow and gradually build up some colour. This is super affordable and it works really well. I do find if you apply too much it can go a tad orange, so build it up gradually and you'll be left glowing. For an added bit of moisture I've been applying my Soap and Glory The Righteous Butter religiously. As you can see from the bottle I've nearly finished it and I'll definitely going back to Boots for some more. You get so much product for your money, 500ml to be exact, so it lasted me so long. Soap and Glory do some lovely body products, this one in particular is very moisturising and doesn't have too much of a scent so it's great if you have sensitive/dry skin.

Makeup wise I've been loving the eye stuff at the drugstore. I really struggle to find low end mascaras that don't end up under my eyes at the end of the day, but I think the MAX Factor Masterpiece Max may be the best one I've tried...big words I know! It's very black and defining and adds a nice amount of length and volume. It doesn't clump the lashes either so I really like layering this up. The wand is plastic and is tapered at the end so you can coat every little lash! If you find a lot of mascaras smudge on you then pick this up and give it a go! I'm still loving pen liners and my Stila one will always come out on top for me, but for a cheaper alternative I love the Eyeko Skinny Liner. This nib comes to a really fine point which makes it very easy to control and to get a fine line. It's very black and doesn't fade to a grey throughout the day which I appreciated in a liner. You can pick this up from ASOS for £12, or if you have a student card it comes up even cheaper. It's not the most inexpensive but it's more affordable than a lot of the higher end favourites out there.

As it is Valentines day at the end of the week I thought it would be nice to show you a few makeup items I'll be slapping on my face this Sunday. I know some of the population despise this 'holiday', but thats fine, just look at this as a girly makeup post. These products are very universal and would work great for dates, and generally everyday wear.

For my base, I went with some really dewy products as I wanted that Victoria Secret looking skin. I always start with my Dior Glow Maximiser if I want some added luminosity to the skin. It's a rosy tinted cream that works perfectly underneath, or mixed in with foundations, to give the skin a natural glow. Then just go in with your favourite foundation and concealer pairing and we'll move on the cheeks. I always bronze my skin first as I find it shapes the face and makes it look a bit more 3D, then I move straight onto blush. My blush is the MAX Factor Cream Puff Blush which is a lovely luminous pink shade. I love the colour 'lovely pink' as it adds a subtle healthy glow to the skin. Now, for highlighter I love my favourite Mary Lou-mansier which is so pigmented and the perfect champagne pop on the cheek bones. You can go as heavy as you like with this, I like my highlight so I tend to be a bit heavy handed, it's very finely milled so it doesn't leave chunks of glitter, meaning you can get away with a bit more if ya fancy.

On the eyes I love a light cream shade all over the lid with a matte brown through the crease. The Charlotte Tilbury Sophisticate Palette makes the eyes look nicely defined, yet natural. This has four beautiful matte shades, perfect for everyday. If you wanted a more nighttime appropriate look, the dark grey in the palette is a great one for smoking out the eyes. Another product I love to use on the eyes is the Benefit High Brow, I pop this on the waterline and it really opens up the eyes and makes them appear wider and more awake! Then I simply finished with some liquid liner and mascara, a classic foolproof eye in my opinion.

For Valentines you may experience a couple of kisses here and there, or maybe you're off for a nice lunch or dinner, so you don't really want to high maintenance bold lip which may end up all over your face. I went with a more natural option, and for that I used the Clarins Instant Light Lip Perfecter Balm in Rose. I love these as they're really moisturising and fuss free which is perfect for a dinner date! The shade 'Rose' is a very subtle pink shade, it almost looks like a clear gloss but you can build up the colour to leave a 'your lips but a bit more pink and glossy' look.

I think that mint is such a refreshing colour, especially when placed in the home. As winter is slowly creeping to a close I thought a little homely inspiration would be nice to see us into spring. As much as I love the reds and warmer tones around the festive period, spring and summer are seasons where you can really inject a nice amount colour, and mint is a perfect way to start. I've seen mint tiles in bathrooms, kitchen cabinets and entire walls, or if you want something a bit low key, try a pillow or lamp shade. Here are a few of my favourite mint decor pieces which hopefully you'll love too.